Need guidance...anyone have experience with re-manufactured engines??

[007Cruiser]

Plan B: Fill it with the sealer and sell it quick.

[BirdsAndBugs]

Plan B: Fill it with the sealer and sell it quick.

Best idea yet.

[HKS]

No response about a defective oil cooler? A good way to mix water and engine oil if defective.
HKS

[TBird1stLuv]

I do appreciate all of your input in this very difficult decision. Since Ford does not have any re manufactured engines and parts are scarce I hesitate to pull the engine. My current mechanic wants to pull the engine and install a used engine. I am not too crazy about that idea at all at this point; kind of would feel like I am throwing out the baby with the bath water. My brother-in-law is a mechanical engineer and races as a hobby. He trusts a place out in Orland Park IL to do his engine rebuilds. My gut says I need a second opinion and the man I spoke to this morning is not convinced from the symptoms I described that it is a head gasket. I also want to ask about this water cooled engine cooler possibility. This shop owner's mom has a 2002 TBird that he maintains so I know he is familiar with the car despite the change in engine design.
Thanks Brad for your advice as well. Wish me luck...plan to flat bed the car this week to the new shop.

[007Cruiser]

Fingers crossed

[Brad]

Before you bring it to the new shop call them and ask if the first thing they will do is a coolant pressure test with a dye. Quick cheap test for leaks

[Alamobird]

Go to victorsservicecenter.com. They specialize in Jaguars. I found them strictly by accident while out driving one day. I have no personal experience.

As the review under the "Customer" tab states, the shop was large and very tidy. They must be doing something right to have survived and grown in a niche market.

I spoke with the owner and his son briefly. They were very courteous, and could prove to be a good resource for engine and engine parts issues if they can also make a profit solving our problems. Since these engines were evidently used in more Jags than Birds, they may be able to answer your question, and also be a source for parts since Ford has pretty well abandoned us.

Please let us all know the results if you contact them.

[TBird1stLuv]

Thanks Brad, I will ask. Alamobird : Checked into the shop you mentioned. No location near me...sounded like a great place though.

Plan on loading Ruby on the flatbed later today if the mechanic has room on his schedule for me. May not get an update for a few days, Wish me luck!

[Alamobird]

Victor's is a one off location in San Antonio. I was curious as to whether a Jaguar shop might be able to rebuild, or provide a new or rebuilt Jaguar engine that could be installed in a Retro.

[TBird1stLuv]

I suppose it it possible. I recall a member here that has an engine swap to the 4.0 version for Jaguar. It should fit and line up bolt wise. I think the main issue that I heard is the communication with the onboard computer. They have different names for the boxes and I am not sure they are fully compatible electronic wise. Perhaps someone has conquered this issue. Great possible solution. Although I would question whether the engine swap would depreciate the vehicle but, hey it's on the road again.

Anyways, Cooper Service worked a miracle. Don, the father/owner sure knows his retrobirds. He gave Ruby a good look over from top to bottom and despite being ushered in on the middle of the calamity; he was able to get her running smoothly again. He flushed the radiator several times and replaced the current thermostat and housing with all OEM parts and removed the after market one that was placed on there by my mechanic. Apparetly, the retros like their OEM thermostats and get crabby when deprived one. He also found an oxygen sensor that was malfuntioning and replaced it.
He ran his tests and found no head gasket leak nor a damaged block. He denies coolant in the oil. Ruby has been given a clean bill of health and is back on the road!! I will pick her up tomorrow...so happy she is back! I know where she is going next time we hasve an issue...Cooper Service!

[snowbird]

Great news Lynne and enjoy that Bird again before the snow flies .

[007Cruiser]

Fantastic! You also learned where to stay away from for your repair work.

[EllisonCal]

I was hoping that a replacement engine was not needed, but I was also reluctant to offer an opinion. But now that the question is moot, here goes. Almost everyone I have known that replaced an engine in a higher mileage car was not happy with what followed. The new engine always ran great, but just about everything else started failing one accessory after another, including transmissions. I'm guessing now, but I think parts wear out together, and when a engine is replaced and everything else has 100,000 miles on it, those older parts aren't happy. Maybe I'm all wet on this but it seems to be more than coincidence when it happens so frequently.

[TBird1stLuv]

I agree. I had decided that if engine repair was needed I would stay with the original engine. I am so happy I listened to my gut (and my brother-in-law) and got a second opinion. My previous mechanic had been very good to us and I hesitate to say anything negative about him since he kept many a family car on the road. I truly feel he is out of his element with the retrobird and was guessing. At least now I know what I am dealing with as this point. It is a bit of a inconvenience to travel 40 miles for repairs but it would of been a huge mistake to pull the engine over the overheating issue. Despite the higher mileage the older engine is not burning oil and appears sound. Just got to keep one eye on that temperature gauge!

[Tbear]

That is good news indeed. I am glad you have the issue resolved and on the road again!